Najib hits out at opposition over slanderous statements
File photo
KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak has hit out at the political opposition for being ever more aggressive in making slanderous statements in the run-up to the 14th general election on May 9.
The Prime Minister, declaring these statements as '#TsunamiPHitnah' in reference to the Pakatan Harapan (PH) pact and their so-called 'tsunami' swing of votes to the opposition, said the slanderous remarks were becoming widespread and severe.
The remarks could trigger chaos and destroy the harmony among the people that had been nurtured for so long, he said in the latest post on his official blog, www.najibrazak.com.
Najib said he and his family were often the victims of the defamatory politics of the opposition which did not know the meaning of respect for and sense of responsibility towards community leaders.
"In fact, if I can list the slanderous statements made by the opposition since the last general election they can be contained in a book as thick as the 'Kamus Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka' dictionary," he said.
He said some of the more severe of the slanderous statements of the opposition was made during the 13th general election, that about 40,000 phantom voters had been brought in from Bangladesh by special flights to cast ballots in certain constituencies and that there had been blackouts at certain polling stations.
Najib, who is also Barisan Nasional chairman, said it was most saddening that up till today many Malaysians still believed this propaganda despite evidence to the contrary and many opposition leaders having said that they did not take place.
"These slanderous statements, like others, only require a little study and logical thinking to be proven false but, in their political enthusiasm, many people believe them, totally fooled by the opposition.
"As a result, Malaysians born and raised in the country whose skin is a little dark are accused of being foreigners, forced to sing the Negaraku in public, and some have their identity cards viralled on social media and are made the subject of criticism and ridicule," he said.
Furthermore, the Bangladeshi immigrant workers seeking an honest living in the country were harassed and turned into victims of hatred due to the politics of slander, he said.
The Prime Minister said the opposition slander was not confined to the general election, for no individual or institution was spared.
Citing another case of the slander, he said Tabung Haji was alleged to have insufficient reserves to pay back the depositors' savings due to accumulated losses.
"As a result, more than 3,000 depositors, taken in by the intimidation and slander, closed their accounts with Tabung Haji, and lost their eligibility and turn to perform the Haj. The opposition slander resulted in elderly men and women becoming the victims, after having waited for a long time to go to the Holy Land," he said.
Najib said Tabung Haji had recorded competitive investment dividends and was often praised as a model Haj pilgrim management body, and the cordial relations between the Malaysian and Saudi Arabian governments and between him and King Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud had opened up opportunities and an increase in the Haj quota for Malaysians.
The opposition did not take this into account when it hurled the allegation at Tabung Haji, he added.
Najib said what he had shared were only some of the cases of slander of the opposition, including their allegations against him and his family, the government, institutions, and investment funds.
"They even go to the extent of defaming and politicising fatal accidents as well," he said.
The Prime Minister reminded Malaysians against becoming agents of destruction by allowing the opposition politics of defamation to become widespread because it would be detrimental to themselves, the society and the country.
-- BERNAMA
